NESTON had to win against Bowdon to re-establish their own title credentials in the premier division, which looked so rosy earlier in the season.

The Parkgate men fell foul of Lancashire second-team skipper Yates in his best all-round form.

Yates clipped 76 of Bowdon's 227-7 declared, being particularly severe on legspinners Dave Jones, whose three wickets cost him 100 runs, and Simon Marshall, who returned a more respectable 4-77.

When Neston batted, Yates' offspin was virtually unplayable, giving him an 8-48 return.

Andy Woolley, 35, and a sturdy unbeaten 51 from Chris Hackett earned Neston a draw as they closed at 160-8, but they pocketed only nine points.

Yates' value to Bowdon can be gauged from his return of 625 runs and 56 wickets, on Saturday becoming the first league bowler to top the half-century of victims.

Oxton lost heavily at Alderley Edge, where they were outplayed and collected only four points. Alderley hammered 252-4, James Crisall 86, Alan Day and Simon Elliott both 56, Neil Cross 2-72.

Oxton mustered only 147, spinner Rob Stafford put his batsmen to shame with a fighting 41.

Bramhall are wooden spoonists no more, their second successive victory at the expense of Macclesfield enabling them to move up one. After scoring 199 (Mike Bolger 53, Barney Cutbill 4-40, Mike Allen 4-64), they dismissed fading Macclesfield for 96. The match-winning bowlers were Barlow with 3-21 and Chalk 3-23.

Thanks to Jhangir Abbas, whose 129 was his third century in seven games, Didsbury collected 16 crucial points in their quest to avoid relegation in a high-scoring draw against Urmston, who drop to the foot of the table.

Didsbury amassed 263-5 and held Urmston to 157-7.

With Widnes losing at home to Grappenhall and Winnington Park going down at Brooklands, Poynton extended their Division One lead to 20 points, even though only drawing at Cheadle Hulme.

Widnes lost a remarkable game by one wicket off the last ball of their game against then bottom team Grappenhall after scoring 185 (Adam Landry 44 ), all the Widnes batsmen struggling against the spin of Neil Titchard, whose 9-56 return was a divisional and personal best.

With former Lancashire batsman Richard Green (47) making his first appearance after a major back operation, Grappenhall reached their target with nine wickets down thanks to four byes off the final delivery. Bappa Mukherjee took 6-72.

Winnington Park posted 184-9 (Craig Little 57) but lost by six wickets at Brooklands, for whom former Wythenshawe batsman John Birchall (83) played a match-winning innings.

Toft moved level third with Park after beating Warrington by six wickets (Manoj Roy 4-28).

Alsager moved into mid-table with a 35-runs win at Heaton Mersey, who go bottom. Gary Pickford scored 66 and James Warrington took 4-42 for the winners.

Upton collected 13 points from a draw at Congleton.

Christleton lead second-placed Birkenhead Park by 26 points in Division Two after Park managed only 17 points from a draw at Bredbury. Damon Livermore cracked 128, to take his season's tally to 983.

Stockport Georgians moved up to fourth with a 10-runs win at home to Sale, which keeps Sale in 11th spot. Ben Pinwill took 7-57 for Georgians.

Irby were again dismissed cheaply (77) by Cheadle, who won by seven wickets.